Menopause Weight Gain In Stomach
Menopausal stomach weight gain is common. As people age, it becomes easier to gain weight, and extra weight usually gathers around the hips and waist in women.
Weight gain around the abdomen can be dangerous for a womans health because it puts more stress on the area, and being overweight or obese increases a persons likelihood of developing several different diseases and conditions, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure. However, a woman can take certain measures to control weight gain as she goes through menopause.
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Your Weight Gain Is Only In Your Abdomen
Menopause puts your body through a whole host of changes, one of them commonly being weight gain. Why? Your production of estrogen, along with other hormones, takes a dip. Outside of menopause, low estrogen levels can be due to excessive exercise, disordered eating patterns, or pituitary gland issues. Decreased estrogen levels can change the fat distribution of your body, causing you to gain more in the belly as opposed to the hips, thighs, and buttocks. Estrogen deficiency can also impair the action of insulin, making it harder to regulate blood sugar and leading to increased hormonal belly fat and abdominal weight gain.
Your gameplan:
Melt away hormonal belly fat caused by low estrogen and insulin resistance by adopting a low carbohydrate eating plan, recommends Johnston. Between protein, fat and carbohydrates, carbs have the biggest impact on raising blood sugar and insulin levels, she says. Reducing high-carbohydrate foods such as refined sugars, breads, cookies, crackers, and pasta and boosting less insulin-stimulating foods rich in fiber, protein, and healthy fat can have a significant impact on your waistline.
Keep in mind that if your carb consumption dips too low, it can suppress your leptin levels and interfere with leptins ability to regulate your reproductive hormones so its important to keep some whole-food based sources of complex carbohydrates in the diet such as fruit, starchy vegetables, and whole grains.
Understand Hormonal Weight Gain And What You Can Do To Lose It
Did you know there is a direct link between your hormones and your weight? This often slips our minds when were traveling the long and difficult road of weight loss. Our bodies need a delicate balance of hormones to maintain a healthy weight for our body makeup.
Its important to have a clear understanding of how your hormones work so you can lose weight and keep it off. Once you recognize the relationship between weight gain and hormones, you can balance your hormones and lose weight healthily and efficiently.
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Go For Herbal Solutions
Because of the chronic nature of the condition, lifelong treatment is necessary. Hence many patients prefer to turn to natural alternatives that pose no risk of side effects. Various herbs work as tonic for hormonal imbalance, improve the function of ovaries and thereby, regulate the menstrual cycle. Some herbs and micro-nutrients useful in PCOS are mentioned below.
a. Aloe vera It is a well-known female tonic hormonal balance and normal function of ovaries. It induces ovulation and increases fertility in females. It induces ovulation by improving hormonal levels. The other beneficial effects of Aloe vera include, reduction of, LDL cholesterol, improvement in HDL cholesterol
b. Cinnamon -Facilitates weight loss, improves insulin uptake in the cells and is thus beneficial in PCOS. It improves frequency of menstrual cycle in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. The other beneficial effects of cinnamon include, reduction of fasting blood glucose, LDL cholesterol and improvement in HDL cholesterol.
c. Green tea It contains potent antioxidants such as catechins which help in relieving the symptoms of PCOS by acting on the hormones. Moreover, it is also helps in weight loss as people with PCOS have strong tendency for weight gain
What Conditions Are Caused By Hormonal Imbalances
Dozens of medical conditions are caused by hormone issues. For most hormones, having too much or too little of them causes symptoms and issues with your health. While many of these imbalances require treatment, some can be temporary and may go away on their own. Some of the most common hormone-related conditions include:
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How To Fix Your Hormones And Lose Weight
Ive hit a stubborn weight-loss plateau, writes this weeks house call, even though I seem to be doing everything right, like eating the right foods and exercising. How can I overcome that obstacle?
Ive discussed different reasons for weight-loss resistance in past blogs. Many obstacles have nothing to do with what you eat or how much you exercise. Instead, they involve things like nutritional imbalances, chronic inflammation, metabolic challenges, leaky gut, changes in your microbiome, environmental toxins and your genes.
One huge but often-overlooked reason for weight-loss resistance involves hormonal imbalances.
No contest: The monster hormone that causes weight gain, inflammation and chronic disease is excess insulin. Think of this hormone as your fat cell fertilizer! My new book, Eat Fat, Get Thin, discusses how to naturally regulate insulin so you can shift your body from fat storage mode to fat-burning mode.
At the same time, insulin isnt the only player other hormones also affect your weight and health. Three big disruptors are: thyroid, cortisol and sex hormones. I discuss these hormones in-depth in The Blood Sugar Solution, however, lets briefly look at each of them here.
Thyroid
Research shows hypothyroidism, or low-thyroid function, affects one in five women and one in ten men. Unfortunately, in over half of these cases, this condition isnt diagnosed.
A common cause of hypothyroidism is gluten intolerance.
Cortisol
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Getting To Know Ghrelin
You can think of ghrelin as your hunger hormone. Like leptin, it communicates with the brain in this case, telling your brain to eat. Every time your stomach becomes empty, it naturally releases ghrelin into your bloodstream. Ghrelin levels are lowest just after youve finished a meal. Theyre at their highest when the stomach is empty and youre ready for your next meal. This scenario is normal when a person is healthy and maintaining optimal weight.
An overweight person, on the other hand, will find that like the other hormones weve explored ghrelin levels are typically out of whack. In healthy individuals, ghrelin levels decrease in a way that satiates them and signals their brains to stop eating. But in obese individuals, ghrelin levels dont decrease enough after eating, which fails to send the brain the signal it needs to stop eating and feel satisfied.
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Can I Lose Hormone Weight
The first step is always to work with your doctor to diagnose the underlying cause. This often includes a blood or urine test to check current hormone levels and identify any inconsistencies.
Should test results reveal your weight gain is related to estrogen or testosterone deficiencies, hormone replacement therapy can be a viable option, but comes with risks and side effects. For example:
Testosterone replacement therapy , while able to correct some physical issues, is also linked to an increase in sleep apnea, acne and raised red blood cell counts, which can raise your risk of blood clots and heart attacks.
Estrogen replacement is not safe for women who have had cancer, liver disease or issues with vaginal bleeding. Treatment risks include blood clots, heart attacks, strokes, breast cancer and gallbladder disease.
Thyroid issues like hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism can stem from autoimmune thyroid disorders, inflammation or be hereditary. Treatment is a lifelong, daily medication regimen designed to replace your missing or imbalanced hormones. If the hormone imbalance is caused by an autoimmune condition like Hashimoto’s disease or Graves disease, your doctor will advise you on the risk of side effects from iodine and supplements, food and medicines to avoid.
Losing hormonal weight is possible, and together with your doctor you can develop a program that works best for you.
What Can Cause Hormonal Imbalance
Hormones can impact every aspect of our lives. They regulate everything from your moods to metabolism, sleep patterns, energy, libido, hunger, and more. A hormone imbalance occurs when the body produces too much or too little of a hormone, which can cause various physical and mental health issues. Thats why its important to know whats causing your hormone imbalance to address it and restore balance in the body. Understanding the source of hormone imbalances can help you gain better control over your physical and mental well-being. Lets explore some of the most common causes of hormone imbalances.
1. Stress
One of the most common causes of hormonal imbalance is stress. When we are stressed, our bodies release a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol helps us to deal with stressful situations by providing us with energy. However, when cortisol levels are constantly high, it can throw off the delicate balance of hormones in our bodies and lead to problems such as weight gain, anxiety, and depression.
2. Poor Diet
Another common cause of hormonal imbalance is a poor diet. Eating processed foods high in sugar and unhealthy fats can disrupt the endocrine system and lead to hormonal imbalances. Not getting enough nutrients from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can also contribute to hormone problems.
3. Lack of Sleep
4. Alcohol Consumption
5. Medication
6. Environmental Toxins
7. Aging
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Build A Structured Diet Based Around Whole Foods
Now that you need fewer calories overall, its important to focus on getting them from whole-food sources like fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts and lean meats. They tend to be less caloric than processed foods, and their nutrient density can help maintain your energy levels if you need to cut down on calories to reach your goals.
In addition, you may find that its helpful to focus on the structure of your diet such as eating meals at consistent times and preparing healthy snacks ahead of time. Keeping a journal to track your eating and drinking habits can also help identify opportunities for healthy changes.
/65 Hormones That Are Related To Weight Gain And How To Maintain Them
Hormonal imbalance can be a result of various factors, such as puberty, pregnancy or certain medication. Impacting our mental and physical health, imbalanced hormones can also lead to weight gain. And losing weight when your hormones are not in balance can even be harder. Hence, its important to keep a check on such hormones that are responsible for gaining weight. So, how you can do it and what can be done to avoid it? Following is the list of such hormones and how you can manage their levels in your body.
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Can Hormone Imbalance Cause Weight Gain
Yes, certain hormone imbalances can cause weight gain, including:
- Hypothyroidism: This condition happens when you have low levels of thyroid hormone, which causes your metabolism to slow down. This can cause weight gain.
- Cushings syndrome: This is a rare condition that happens when your body has too much of a hormone called cortisol. It results in rapid weight gain in your face , belly, back of your neck and chest.
- Menopause: During menopause, many people assigned female at birth gain weight due to hormonal changes that cause their metabolism to slow down. Its important to remember that this type of hormonal imbalance is natural and an expected part of life.
Several other factors contribute to weight gain. If youre experiencing unexpected weight gain or are concerned about your weight, talk to your healthcare provider.
Your body secretes about 50 hormones that control many critical functions including metabolism, homeostasis , sexual activity, and contraction of the heart muscle.
Think of hormones as messenger molecules that one part of your body makes and then transports elsewhere. Your pancreas, for instance, secretes insulin, a hormone that helps your body utilize glucose for energy.
Hormonal imbalances occur when too much or too little of a hormone exists in your bloodstream. Even small hormonal imbalances can create side effects that resonate throughout your body.
Symptoms Of Hormone Imbalance
- Breast enlargement in a male
- Acne, facial hair and male pattern hair loss in a female
- Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
Since many of these symptoms along with weight gain have multiple causes, it is important to have a thorough evaluation to determine the underlying cause. Some practitioners do not measure hormones at a certain age since they are expected to be low. Some do not measure complete thyroid hormones and only measure TSH.
While hormone replacement can alleviate many of these symptoms and address the root cause, you can be in better balance with a natural approach. At the end, I will tell you the secret of what you can do to help all the major hormone imbalances that cause weight gain!
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How To Lose Hormonal Weight Gain
Losing hormonal weight gain starts with finding the hormones affecting your weight. If you have an imbalance caused by an underlying medical issue, getting the right diagnosis and treatment will also be necessary.
Generally, any weight loss goal requires lifestyle changes that include the following strategies:
- A change in diet to reduce calories
- A daily program to maintain activity levels
- Behavior strategies to encourage commitment
- Adequate nightly sleep
Working with fitness professionals can help you find exercises for hormonal weight gain to target areas where you have excess weight.
Medications or hormonal weight gain supplements may also be advised. They can reset hormone levels, treat the effects of abnormal levels, or control underlying problems. Some common treatments include:
- Ovarian cyst surgery for PCOS
When To See A Doctor For Hormonal Weight Gain
If you have committed to making necessary lifestyle changes to control hormonal weight gain but you are still not making any progress after 3-6 months, it is time to speak with a doctor. They will be able to determine whether or not you may be a fit for something like BHRT or other medical treatments.
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What You Need To Know About Leptin Resistance
When your body becomes resistant to leptin, leptin levels become too high. In fact, overweight individuals who get their leptin levels tested typically find their leptin levels to be as high as four times the normal level. Whats more, its really difficult to balance leptin levels once theyve become resistant.
With leptin resistance, communication between the brain and leptin is impaired, so that your brain doesnt understand that its full, and tells your body to keep eating. Its as if your brain thinks youre starving when in reality, youre just leptin resistant.
To reverse leptin resistance or prevent it from happening to you in the first place, lets talk food, drink, and supplements. Everything in your body impacted by what you put into it, and leptins no different. Sugar, in particular, can cause leptin levels in your body to skyrocket, so youll want to eat less sugar. Other ways to prevent or reduce leptin resistance include:
- Committing to a regular exercise routine
- Getting truly restorative sleep on a regular basis
Can Hormone Therapy Help Lose Weight And What Type To Prefer
Can hormone therapy help lose weight when one uses creams or gels? Scientific studies have tested different forms of HRT and claimed that shots, pills, and implants cause more negative variables compared to gels and HRT cream and weight gain. Health advisors prescribe stronger variants for surgical menopause weight gain because in that case, the body lacks organs that produce reproductive hormones. If a person wants to relieve some symptoms, one can turn to hormonal forms which give fewer negative reactions like creams, gels, and pessaries.
Clinical trials state that bioidentical hormone therapy for weight loss is safer compared to the traditional one. Such hormones are native to the human body because their composition is identical. The organism does not reject them and is more likely to cope with problems initiated by the transition period. Studies also assure the beneficial influence of bioidentical hormone therapy for weight loss. Can hormone replacement therapy help you lose weight? Yes, but only when treatment unites professionals, unique approach to medication, and the most suitable form of hormones with the right dosage.
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Consume More Cruciferous Veggies To Improve Estrogen
Since estrogen dominance can be a major contributor to weight gain, eating more cruciferous veggies can really help control excess estrogen.
Cruciferous veggies contain a compound called I3C.
When you eat those veggies, your body converts the I3C into DIM , which is an antioxidant that helps the body get rid of excess estrogen .
How To Balance Ghrelin Levels
If you have a sneaking suspicion your ghrelin levels are in need of some TLC, here are a couple of ways to balance them:
- Eat adequate amounts of protein. Protein helps you feel full and should be consumed with every meal. Studies show how eating protein promotes healthy ghrelin levels.
- Avoid sugar as much as possible. As you can see by now, consuming too much sugar disrupts hormonal balance, making weight loss seem an impossible feat. Be sure to read labels. If an item contains high-fructose corn syrup, dont buy it. A 2013 study published in Nutritional Diabetes shows how high-fructose corn syrup is one of the primary culprits of imbalance when it comes to hormones and weight gain.
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